1976 Reading Borough Council election
← 1973 5 May 1976 (1976-05-05) 1979 →
46 seats (whole council)
24 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Con
Lab
Lib
Leader Deryck Morton Chris Goodall Jim Day
Party Conservative Labour Liberal
Seats before 16 16 14
Seats after 21 14 11
Seat change Increase5 Decrease2 Decrease3

The 1976 Reading Borough Council election was held on 6 May 1976, at the same time as other local elections across England and Wales. All 46 seats on Reading Borough Council were up for election. The council remained under no overall control, but with the Conservatives becoming the largest party. The Conservative group leader, Deryck Morton, subsequently took the council's most senior political job as chairman of the policy committee, leading a Conservative minority administration.[1]

Ward results

The results in each ward were as follows:[2][3]

Abbey Ward (two seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William George Mander
(Bill Mander) 		383
Conservative Barclay Lane 373
Conservative J. Pearson 369
Labour R. Williams 339
Labour hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Battle Ward (two seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Reginald Harry Bristow
(Joe Bristow) 		894
Labour Thomas Frank Wise
(Frank Wise) 		883
Conservative M. Irwin 519
Conservative J. Harper 515
Liberal J. Dickson 146
Liberal E. Dickson 143
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Castle Ward (three seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert J. Garnett
(Bob Garnett) 		1,028
Labour Graham Anthony Rush 962
Labour Antony William Page
(Tony Page) 		947
Conservative E. Farmer 801
Conservative P. Brigham 792
Conservative B. Jones 773
Liberal C. Milsom 440
Liberal R. Harris 434
Liberal J. Mennear 430
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Caversham Ward (three seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ronald William Jewitt
(Ron Jewitt) 		2,190
Conservative George Frank Robinson 1,840
Conservative Frederick Llywelyn Pugh
(Fred Pugh) 		1,812
Labour T. Clifton 937
Labour M. Johnson 891
Labour A. Tolan 862
Independent A. Freeman 277
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Christchurch Ward (four seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Marianne Jeanne Absolom 1,315
Labour William Maurice John Huntley
(John Huntley) 		1,241
Labour Nigel Webb 1,185
Conservative R. Bishop 1,178
Conservative R. Cox 1,172
Labour H. Young 1,165
Conservative C. Cross 1,147
Conservative C. Hembrow 1,092
Liberal H. Crichton 547
Liberal D. O'Rourke 484
Liberal N. James 422
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Katesgrove Ward (two seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Geoffrey Robert Mander
(Geoff Mander) 		848
Labour Margaret Stella Singh 765
Conservative N. Rowberry 724
Conservative J. Wilkins 655
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Minster Ward (six seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Adelina Ethel Baker
(Lena Baker) 		2,538
Conservative Simon Christopher Coombs 2,516
Conservative Geoffrey Gascoigne Lawrence 2,500
Conservative Charles Frederick Sage 2,451
Conservative Joyce A. Talbot 2,427
Conservative Kenneth Loder
(Ken Loder) 		2,422
Labour C. Bosley 1,828
Labour D. Buckley 1,800
Labour A. Knott 1,750
Labour K. Davison 1,742
Labour K. Diment 1,736
Labour F. Silverthorne 1,699
Liberal M. Clarke 688
Liberal C. Bucke 659
Liberal H. Goodacre 635
Liberal D. Holmes 615
Liberal P. Pratt 614
Liberal D. Hobbs 600
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Norcot Ward (six seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Leslie Basil Dunning
(Basil Dunning) 		1,711
Liberal Terence James Francis
(Terry Francis) 		1,687
Liberal John Freeman 1,657
Liberal Geoffrey David Salisbury 1,633
Liberal Peter Beard 1,626
Liberal Dennis Hopkins 1,594
Conservative P. Madges 1,519
Conservative J. Pacey 1,504
Conservative F. Rogers 1,475
Conservative R. Hinckley 1,467
Conservative G. Waite 1,458
Conservative F. Rose 1,391
Labour W. Gothard 1,072
Labour F. Harris 1,059
Labour H. Hathaway 1,033
Labour H. Hinder 981
Labour R. Smith 959
Labour A. Pravda 934
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Park Ward (three seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Alan Chilvers 1,333
Conservative Veronica Horman 1,255
Conservative Michael Francis 1,251
Labour P. Jones 943
Labour S. Harvey 904
Labour B. Lyons 889
Liberal N. Edwards 697
Liberal M. Bliss 633
Liberal A. Looker 606
Independent V. Short 51
Independent K. Pullen 45
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Redlands Ward (three seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Michael Oliver 1,316
Conservative John Derrick Lawford 1,277
Conservative Martin Charles Lower 1,249
Liberal V. Angell 1,151
Liberal R. Brough 1,055
Liberal S. Milano 999
Labour P. Jones 455
Labour V. Jones 406
Labour G. Kennedy 406
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
Thames Ward (four seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cyril William Aucock 2,906
Conservative Kathleen Lucy Sage 2,900
Conservative Eric Gordon Davies 2,884
Conservative Deryck Mitchell Morton 2,701
Liberal K. Gwinnell 951
Liberal J. Green 933
Liberal K. Elliott 838
Labour P. Mander 686
Labour K. Sainsbury 633
Labour G. Lidbetter 599
Labour R. Hammersley 569
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Tilehurst Ward (five seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ronald James Day
(Jim Day) 		2,475
Liberal Frances Teresa Day
(Paddy Day) 		2,367
Liberal Desmond A. Allen
(Des Allen) 		2,194
Liberal George Henry Ford 2,175
Liberal Michael Ingrey 2,122
Conservative A. Davis 1,441
Conservative M. Caseley 1,423
Conservative S. Foley 1,323
Conservative J. Stevens 1,315
Conservative I. Grant 1,304
Labour J. Cottee 821
Labour D. Bull 777
Labour A. Gothard 777
Labour L. Hinder 772
Labour M. Steele 748
Independent M. White 60
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Whitley Ward (three seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Edward Orton
(Mike Orton) 		1,187
Labour John Rees Price
(Jack Price) 		1,186
Labour Doris Ellen Lawrence 1,185
Conservative G. Matthews 797
Conservative P. Wickens 623
Conservative R. Woodroff 536
Liberal B. Trussell 275
Liberal M. Law 234
Liberal H. Trussell 231
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

By-elections 1976–1979

Christchurch by-election 1977

Christchurch By-Election 31 March 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Douglas (Bob) Cox 1,061 39.0 -2.9
Labour Maurice Dixon 1,023 37.6 -7.2
Liberal Max Thomas Heydeman 637 23.4 +10.1
Majority 38 1.4
Turnout 2,721
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +2.15

The Christchurch ward by-election in 1977 was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor John Huntley.[4][5]

Thames by-election April 1977

On 1 April 1977 the borough was enlarged by the addition of parts of the parishes of Eye and Dunsden, Kidmore End and Mapledurham, all from South Oxfordshire. The number of councillors on Reading Borough Council was increased from 46 to 49 as a result. The two South Oxfordshire district councillors representing much of the transferred area automatically became Reading borough councillors without needing to be re-elected, representing a new ward of Caversham Park. These two were Geoff Lowe and Harold Stoddart, both Liberals (although Lowe later defected to the Conservatives in 1978).[6] Reading's existing Thames and Caversham wards were also enlarged, and the increase in the size of Thames ward justified a fifth councillor being elected for that ward, for which a by-election was held on 21 April 1977, which was won by the Conservatives. After the by-election and two transfers, the balance of the council was 23 Conservatives, 13 Labour and 13 Liberals.[7][8]

Thames By-Election 21 April 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Brian Fowles 2,619 75.3
Liberal Katherine Gwinnell 485 13.9
Labour Pat Mander 373 10.7
Majority 2,134 61.4
Turnout 3,477 33
Conservative win (new seat)

Thames by-election September 1977

Thames By-Election 22 September 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Stevens 2,121 74.1 -1.2
Liberal Katherine Gwinnell 387 13.5 -0.4
Labour Helen Kayes 354 12.4 +1.6
Majority 1,734 60.6 -0.8
Turnout 2,862 30 -3
Conservative hold Swing -0.4

The September 1977 by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor Cyril Aucock.[9][10]

Minster by-election 1977

Minster By-Election 1 December 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roseanna Rowberry 1,911 57.1
Labour Bunty Nash 1,143 34.1
Liberal Janet Holmes 293 8.8
Majority 768 22.9
Turnout 3,347 29
Conservative hold Swing

The Minster ward by-election in 1977 was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Joyce Talbot.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Councillors slam hotel decision". Evening Post. Reading. 7 January 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 21 April 2022. Policy committee chairman Councillor Deryck Morton...
  2. ^ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. Reading Borough Council Election Results 1973-1996 (PDF). Plymouth: The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Council expenses". Evening Post. Reading. 4 July 1977. p. 7. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  4. ^ "'Give busy councillors a fairer deal'". Evening Post. Reading. 17 February 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Tories take ward off Labour". Evening Post. Reading. p. 15. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Tories welcome new council convert". Evening Post. Reading. 4 May 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Reading prepared for its 8,000 'migrants'". Evening Post. Reading. 23 March 1977. p. 4. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Tory wins in Thames ward". Evening Post. Reading. 22 April 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Reading councillor's funeral". Evening Post. Reading. 1 July 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Tory holds Thames ward seat". Evening Post. Reading. 23 September 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Tories' easy by-election win". Evening Post. Reading. 2 December 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
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